- Created: Sunday, February 19 2012 21:59
The Eros Parallax Project, organized by Steven van Roode in partnership with Astronomers Without Borders, received 106 observations of the minor planet from 37 observers. These observations were all photographic, recording the position of Eros compared to the background stars as seen from widely dispersed locations on Earth. Some sent their photos in as well, and you can see them in the project's gallery. Of particular interest are the composite images, combining multiple images into one, showing the rapid movement of Eros across the sky.
Preliminary results show, as expected, some data that closely fits the known value of the distance to Eros with a few observations that are farther off. But every observation represents a success. The Eros Parallax Project was intended to give amateur astronomers a way to participate in the recreation of an important historical project while providing a data set that can continue to be used for educational purposes with schools, clubs and others.
You can learn more about the Eros Parallax Project on AWB's project page and Steven van Roode's website, and read an interview on Space.com with Michael Richmond, author of the instructional guide for the project. Results of the analysis of all the data submitted will be released soon.
